


Those Who Rule|HAIKYUU

by junkwhoore



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Kakegurui, Death Threats, F/F, F/M, Female Reader, Gambling, Haikyuu - Freeform, HousePets, Implied Incest, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kakegurui Manga Spoilers, M/M, Multi, Reader x Everyone, Referenced Incest, Sexual Content, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, dark content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:20:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27654001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junkwhoore/pseuds/junkwhoore
Summary: 𝐒𝐚𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬, 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛, 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬; 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 (𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞)𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞
Relationships: Haikyuu/Reader, Reader/Everyone
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	1. FALL FROM GRACE

There was a list of things one should not do to avoid trouble. Many abide by those rules whiles others are bold, throwing caution to the wind, and proceed onward. Hinata Shoyo was the second choice, not caring about the consequences until afterward, which was a poor mistake on his part, especially now.

Hinata thickly swallowed the lump lodged in his throat; his entire body was quivering. He stared at his opponent, a blue-eyed male named Kageyama Tobio, who wore a neutral expression. He continued to stare at the table idly; feet kicked up on the table as a group of people gathered closer, preventing Hinata from folding out of this gamble now. "I-I raise," he faltered, pushing his stack of ten black-and-white chips to the center of the table, sweat streaking down the side of his face.

Kageyama was quiet for a brief moment. "I call," was his casual reply, offering ten of his gambling chips to the pot, resting against the large oak chair, aimlessly staring at his hand. "You do realize that challenging me to a simple poker match was a poor choice on your part, right?" he taunted, wagging his finger. When the shorter boy only shook his head in response, Kageyama's smirk widened, his eyes glistened with excitement; oh, how he couldn't wait.

 _'In this poker game, chips are worth ten thousand yen, and I just bet one hundred thousand yen,' Hinata bitterly thought, his hand still twitching, 'that's a lot of money for sure, but more importantly, the bigger issue is that my entire life is on the line!_ ' The first-year took a deep breath out, glancing at the ebony-haired male for one brief second. ' _But with this hand, I should be able to win_.'

Laying his cards on the table, the small Japanese male declared confidently, "Showdown! I have a full house, aces high!" Hinata was quite sure that he had won the match since Kageyama hadn't responded; in fact, the raven-haired make didn't seem fazed at the underclassman's hand.

Then, the taller male let out a mocking laugh and laid his cards on the table with a dramatic flourish, "Ahaha! Too bad for you, ya little squirt! Thank youuuu for such a great game!" The short boy visibly turned a ghost shade of white once he saw what Kageyama's hand was; why the hell did he challenge him!?

' _N-No way! He had a royal flush!?_ ' Hinata thought, his heart sinking into his churning stomach, sweat trickling down the side of his face as his throat went dry. Kageyama's likeliness getting a royal flush was slim to none; it was unrealistic, but luck had proved to Hinata that anything could happen in a single match.

Getting up from his desk, Kageyama snickered, shoes clicking on the floor as he approached the distraught second-year. "Well now," the blonde spoke lightly, cupping Hinata's chin and tipping the smaller boy's head back to catch a glimpse of the boy's watering violet orbs, a smirk settled on his lips. "You've been through quite a lot today, haven't you? But keep your spirits up," he mocked, his group of friends snickering behind him as he added, "Okay, 'Fido'?"

The sound of mocking laughter drowned out Hinata's sniffs and jeering classmates as his tears gushed down the slopes of his cheeks. From that day forward, Hinata Shoyo was no longer considered a person but rather a house pet. Being a housepet was his fate; how could he have challenged the king and think he could have emerged victoriously? He could feel the house tag hang around his narrow neck, the cold metal kissing his exposed flesh; Hinata wiped his eyes, daring to look up at Kageyama.

"Who gave you permission to lift your stupid head, _Fidooooo_?" Kageyama dragged out, tugging on Hinata's housepet tag, smiling when the smaller boy yelped, his body tensing up. "Housepets aren't supposed to look into the eyes of their human master; it's okay. I'll forgive you this one time since you didn't know any better," he jeered.

Oh, it felt good to hold this much power; owning a house pet meant that you were superior. Housepets had their human rights stripped, solely existing to serve their human masters unless they could pay their amassed debt, and the majority of the time, it was nearly impossible. Many students became housepets upon arriving at the school, unable to pay the monthly fee, while others became housepets because of gambling debts they accumulated during their time here.

Kageyama yanked Hinata's chain once again, forcing the smaller boy to his feet. "Since you're new here, allow me to explain what happens now since you're my personal housepet," he mused maliciously, dragging the shorter boy behind him. "You are mine, and I get to use you; however, I see fit, little Fido; you have no control over your life anymore. From this moment out, your only purpose in life is to serve your human masters unless you can pay back your debt. Still, I doubt you can with your social standing, isn't that right, fellows?" he taunted, the students around Kageyama chanting and mocking the underclassmen, pointing at the new housepet.

The second-year held the house tag in his quivering hands, the realization slowly hitting him. He would have to obey everyone else without a single complaint; give a command, and Hinata would have to follow the order.His life was no longer his own; Hinata was simply a dog—a Fido.

"Why don't you be an obedient pet for me and grovel for me? Show how good of a dog you are, Fido," the raven-haired male snickered. The other students cheered, screaming for Hinata to lower his head like the dog he was. That's all he was: a lowly mutt who would get punished if he disobeyed his human masters.

A yank on the chain brought the ginger back to reality, averting his glances downwards. God, who knows what Kageyama would have done if Hinata dared to look him in the eyes again. While his body trembled, Hinata sat on his knees, gripping his dog-tooth pattern pants as Kageyama laughed mockingly, patting his head.

A fitting gesture for a mongrel, Hinata supposed, fighting back the tears that flooded his burning eyes. His parents couldn't afford to pay the debt he acquired plus the money he needed to pay the student council every month; Hinata was lucky that he could enter this school on a scholarship. 'The scholarship made me out to be an easy target. It's admitting that I'm dirt poor; maybe that's why Kageyama accepted my challenge. He comes from money, and I don't.' It was going to be impossible to earn it all, especially since Kageyama would be ordering him around, along with everyone else.

"Enjoy your time being a house pet, Fido."


	2. A GIRL NAMED (NAME)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama may be the king of the first and second years, but even he has his moments of weakness and (Name) will show how.

Karasuno Private Academy, approaching the 122nd anniversary of its construction, is known for its tradition and social status. The children of many influential business people and politicians enrolled here in this academy, very few value academic achievements or athletic prowess.

After all, those sorts of things aren't crucial to students like these, who will likely be able to "use people" to do those things for them in the future anyway.

What they do believe you need in spades are things like strategy and the ability to read people or recognize a critical moment in a game.

In other words: how good they are at gambling is what the academy teaches.

"Ha! read them and weep losers: I've got a straight," Kageyama declared, exposing his hand for everyone at the table to see, some of the participants either groaning or tossing their own hands into the table, devastated by the massive loss and the shitty hand they were, unfortunately, dealt.

"Yeesh, it looks like you win once again, Kageyama."

"Just as awesome as ever," a brunette girl stated, tossing her cards in the center of the table.

The gambling den was boisterous, matches ending with the victors roaring as the loser groaned in defeat. This was common after school matches; after all, the school was made for gambling purposes.

Kageyama glanced around before sighing, propping his chin on his fist. "Fido, I'm hungry. Go fetch me some melon bread and tea like the good little doggy you are," he commanded, looking over his shoulder.

"U-Understood," Hinata begrudgingly stated, shuffling out of the gambling den while the others howled with laughter; a few students tripping the short ginger-haired male, mocking him when he crashed into the wall. It's not like he could fight back; even if he did, Hinata would just get his ass kicked by one of Kageyama's friends again.

Before he could make it to the vending machine, a third-year slammed the younger boy into the wall, holding Hinata in place while two other students fished in his pockets, followed by a vicious punch to the face. "Hey, Hinata— oh, I shouldn't call you by that now, should I? Since you're not a person anymore, lend me some cash. I promise to pay you back when you're a normal person again, Fido," the third-year snickered.

"I-I don't have any cash on me right now, Takahashi-senpai," Hinata mumbled, massaging his cherry-red cheek.

"You've got to be kidding me," Takahashi mumbled, snatching the wallet from his short friend, disappointed to find it empty. He clicked his tongue, tossing the wallet in Hinata's face. "Tch, you don't even have a fucking 10,000 yen bill in here; guess I was expecting too much from this pathetic Fido here." Takahashi swiftly kneed Hinata in the stomach, satisfied when the younger boy crumbled to his knees, clutching his stomach.

Takahashi's friends snickered, trailing after the taller third-year. "So, what are we gonna do now?"

"I guess I'll go cool my head with some roulette," was the third-year's answer, leading his followers to the gambling dens.

Hinata winced in pain, pulling himself off the floor, and hobbled down the hall to the vending machine. Being a house pet was the worst; you were treated like dirt by those still considered humans.

There was a caste system in place; the student council controls the academy. Though the council members consisted of mostly first and second-years, they held tremendous power over the other students and collected money from the students.

_Supposedly_ , paying the council is voluntary, but the truth of the matter is that they force students to pay each month— a total of one hundred thousand yen was the bare minimum—and that's not the worst part. The payments are determined via a ranking system; in this payment system, out of the three thousand students attending, if you manage to sink to rank one hundred or lower, you are labeled as a "student with uncooperative tendencies."

Commonly known as "house pets." If you're a male house pet, your new name is Fido; female house pets are called Mittens.

Hinata entered the gambling den with Kageyama's melon bread and milk tea in hand, biting back his pained groan.

"Oh, finally, took you long enough," said Kageyama, taking the milk tea and melon bread from Hinata, ripping apart the wrapper, biting into the soft bread. With a hum, Kageyama smiled— a cruel smile at that as he glanced over at Hinata. "Say, my legs are feeling a bit tired," he teased, tapping the floor with his foot.

"Huh?"

"Geez, I knew you were stupid, but I didn't know you were hard of hearing as well. Make yourselves useful, and become my footrest, Fido," Kageyama snickered. Hinata swallowed what was left of his pride and positioned himself near Kageyama's feet, grunting when the heels of the taller boy's shoes dug into his backside.

The difference between classes was absolute; there was no way in hell Hinata could oppose the council or Kageyama. Should he dare to buck the system, the student council would get their revenge one way or another. The only way Hinata could turn things around was if he could pay back his debt to the student council, but he was dirt poor, and there was no way he was going to ask his mom for any money.

For those who became a house pet, it was game over. It was near impossible to crawl back up the ladder.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Please, welcome the new transfer student," came the gentle voice of the homeroom teacher. In the front of the class stood a beautiful, (height) girl who sported the traditionally black school uniform with thigh-high black socks and black shoes; her (color) eyes were alluring and deep, captivating the class; her (length), (color) hair clipped back with a pink barrette.

She offered a friendly wave, smiling, "Hello, everybody! My name is (Surname) (Name). I may be new here, but I'd be thrilled to make friends with all of you."

As the class made a commotion about the new girl, Hinata only stared at her, star-struck by her beauty; oh, the ginger hoped that (Name) wouldn't turn out to be like his classmates. He wanted to get to know her— well, that's if Kageyama didn't beat his ass first. Most first-years and second-year students wouldn't dare approach him; Kageyama made it clear that Hinata was his housepet.

Failure to remember that crucial detail would result in an ass beating.

The teacher hummed, "Now, I need one of you to show (Surname)-chan around the academy—Hinata-kun,you're the class representative, correct? Can I count on you to show (Surname)-chan around Karasuno?"

"Y-Yes, of course!"

(Name) approached Hinata's desk with a melting smile, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Hinata-san. I look forward to getting to know you more," she chirped.

Hinata nodded his head, cheeks burning red as his heart throbbed. "Uh, likewise (Surname)-san." With a smile, the teacher gestured to (Name)'s seat behind Hinata and proceeded with her lesson. Granted, the ginger was forced to become the class representative, but he figured all clouds had their silver linings.

When the bell rang, and the teacher dismissed the class, Hinata escorted (Name) around the school grounds, making sure to steer clear from any of the gambling dens and any offers from the upperclassmen. New students were usually the targets for gambling matches as they were still trying to adjust to the school's rules. He thought he could at least prevent one girl from becoming a house pet on her first day.

"Aha, it's so beautiful out here," (Name) happily sighed, taking in the view. "Such a great campus; how large this place is. I'm so glad I could convince my parents to transfer me here."

Hinata bit his bottom lip; this school wasn't as great as (Name) made it out to be. It was a fucking nightmare. "Hey, (Surname)-san? Have you ever gambled before?"

"Gambling?" (Name) asked, tilting her head to the side. "Are you talking about stuff like mahjong and poker? I have a general idea of what the rules are; I played a little with my old friends at my last school and my sister. Why?"

Hinata scratched the back of his head, "Is that so? Well, Karasuno Academy has had a thing for gambling ever since it was founded. It's a tradition, to be frank." He began leading (Name) down a dirt patch, tucking his thumbs into his pockets. "When school lets out, lots of places on campus turn into gambling dens, and since this school is so prestigious, there are loads of rich kids here. There's no end to the amount of money they have to gamble with."

(Name) was quiet, walking alongside Hinata. Her lips slowly quirked into a smile; a pleasing look washed over her face. "A gambling school? Well, now that's something I'm looking forward to," she hummed.

"What?"

"I'm excited, Hinata-san," (Name) repeated, making her way inside when the school bell chimed.

Who the hell could be excited to gamble?

"Hinata-san, you better hurry or we're going to be late to class," (Name) called, smiling when the ginger ran towards her, following her back inside the spacious academy.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The classes are tedious, long, and boring. Wha was the point of teaching when grades didn't matter? Gambling was the only thing that mattered to both the students and the teachers; if you were a good gambler, you're guaranteed to survive this hell hole of a school. When the bell chimed again, it was time for school to end and for the gambling to begin.

Hinata wanted no part of it; he was tired and wanted to eat a meat bun. He had begun making his way towards the door when several male students swarmed (Name), bombarding her with personal questions, and greeting her sincerely.

"Welcome to the second-year cherry blossom class, (Surname)-chan!"

"It's nice to meetcha!"

"Where are you from?"

"What are your hobbies? What do you do on weekends and holidays?"

"I'll be blunt: do you have a boyfriend?"

(Name) smiled, "How can you expect a girl to answer so many questions at the same time? But it is nice to meet you all as well."

Hinata sighed, scratching his head. It was evident that (Name) was popular with the boys, already. He just hoped that—

Kageyama approached (Name) with a smile, leaning forward. "I'm Kageyama Tobio; nice to meet you, (Surname)-san."

(Name) extended her hand out to him, nodding her head. "As I said earlier, it's nice to meet you as well, Kageyama-san."

"Say, are you free after school?" (Name) nodded her head, and Kageyama could already feel his smile widening. "Would you like to gamble with me, then? I promise you'll have fun."

(Name) grew excited, happily bobbing her head. "Oooooooh gambling! I'm always up for a good risk! What game are we going to play? Blackjack? Spades? Two-card Indian poker? Mahjong?" she questioned, propping her elbows on the desk.

Kageyama chuckled, "As fun as those games are, we'll be playing an original game called 'Voting Rock, Paper, Scissors.' We all play it occasionally from time to time. If you agree, I can explain the rules, and we can get started."

"Hey, wait a second!" Hinata interrupted, "why would you play that game all of a second?! Those rules are pretty complex and hard to understand if you've never played it—"

"I don't think I was asking you, Fido," Kageyama hissed underneath his breath, shooting a cold and dirty look at the small boy. When Hinata shut up, Kageyama redirected his attention to (Name). "So, how about it, (Surname)-chan? You ready to play?"

"Yes! This should.interesting; is it like rock, paper, scissors?" was her question.

Kageyama took a seat across from (Name), crossing his legs. "It's similar to rock, paper, scissors, but it's more complicated. For this game, everyone in the classroom needs to participate," he explained, "the thirty people will first draw the sign for either rock, paper, or scissors on a card and then, they stick the cards in a box so we can't see what they chose."

"Oh, I see! They chose what sign to write on the card? So, how do we vote?" the bubbly girl asked.

"We'll both draw three cards from the box, and once we've done that, we'll pick one of those three cards, and play rock, paper, scissors," Kageyama explained, holding up one of the cards, "If it's a tie, we pick another card we have and play again. If all three games are atie, that set is a draw. That's how you play a set."

(Name) hummed, "What an incredible game; I think I understand it now. The complications come when drawing the cards. We won't have the ability to have all three options when we've drawn. It'll be interesting and quite the challenge to read through the unevenness. This sounds like fun; I'd love to play, Kageyama-san."

"That's the spirit! Fido, go grab us some chips, and don't drag your ass," Kageyama ordered Hinata, giving his chain a firm yank to remind him who was in charge. He released Hinata's chain, leaning back in his chair as the curtains were drawn closed, the gambling chips brought out, and the large, black voting box placed on the table."These are the chips we'll be using for our match. Each one is worth 10,000 yen. I've prepared for you 120 chips to start with."

With 120 chips between the two of them, that would be a total of 2,400,000 yen; gambling that much money in a game of rock, paper, scissors was insane. No one in their right mind would gamble with that much money, but Karasuno wasn't a regular school.

"You can choose how many chips we bet each round, (Surname)-san," Kageyama offered, tapping on the desk. "The proof is in the pudding. So for now, let's give the game a go; how many chips would you like to start with?"

She offered two chips, placing them in the center of the table. "Would it be alright if we started with two chips? I want to get a feel of the game."

"As I said: you get to choose how we bet," he mused, offering two of his chips to the pot. "Now, let the first set begin."

Hinata guessed that (Name) was nervous, and he couldn't play her. She was forced into a game right after she transferred. This game was incredibly hard for newbies to play, and was a great way to make someone lose it all. It's pretty rare to have all three choices in your hands; it was crucial to read the balance between the cards.

Once all the cards were gathered and placed into the voting box, the two players were allowed to draw their three cards. "Have you decided? Let's show our cards at the same time," Kageyama proposed.

"Alright! Let's do this then!" (Name) cheered, selecting one of her cards.

"One, two, three!" The cards were revealed: (Name) had chosen rock while Kageyama chose scissors.

Kageyama clapped, passing his two chips to (Name). "You've got your first win, (Surname)-san. Congratulations." He handed his cards to a student standing off to the side, smiling. "So, you've gotten the gist of it, right? Let's keep going."

"Sure," was (Name)'s reply, offering chips to the pot. "For our next set, let's bet fifty chips, please."

Hinata choked on his breath. Fifty chips would be 500,000 yen! Was she crazy!?

Kageyama was taken aback but managed to regain his composure. "Well, you're quite the gambler, aren't you, (Surname)-san?"

"Oh no, I'm only just getting started."

500,000 yen; such a significant sum was going to exchange hands in this set. It was nerve-wracking, watching the students place their cards into the box, and then the two players selecting three cards from said box.

"Are you ready, (Surname)-san?" Kageyama asked.

"Of course, I am," was her quick response.

Once the signal was given, the two revealed their cards: two scissors. "Tch, a tie, huh? It looks like we have to play another card," Kageyama stated, setting his revealed career aside, selecting another card, (Name) following suit. When the signal was given once again, the two revealed their cards, showing that Kageyama won the set with a rock. "Hell yeah! I win!"

(Name) playfully pouted, placing her last card in the desk, a single scissor card. "Oh, all I had left were two scissors, so no matter what I played, I would have lost this set."

Kageyama laughed, crossing his legs. "I'm so glad I won such a big match. Now, shall we continue onto the next set?"

"Yes, of course! I'm having way too much fun to quit now!" she exclaimed. "Let's bet two chips this time!"

The cycle continued. The students drew the symbols onto the card, Kageyama and (Name) drew three cards from the box and squared off. It was exciting, stimulating one could say. (Name) couldn't keep still in her chair, and her fingers brushed against the glossy exterior of the card. They played their cards, and (Name) won paper.

"Congratulations. It's your win, (Surname)-chan," Kageyama congratulated, handing (Name) his chips. "How much for you want to bet this time?"

(Name) pushed fifty chips in the center again, smiling. "How about we bet fifty chips again? You wouldn't mind, would you, Kageyama?" she asked with a teasing smile.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Hinata hissed, keeping his voice down. This girl was crazy; she already lost 500,000 to Kageyama earlier, and she was going to make the same stupid mistake!

The blue-eyed male hummed, "Interesting! You want to win back your losses from before, right? I _love_ that sort of thing." The two drew their cards and revealed once the signal was given. They tied again, resulting in them playing another round. "Haha, it seems we think alike."

"It seems so. Let's move on to the next round," she said. Kageyama and (Name) both chose their new cards, the challenger smiling when they laid their cards on the table.

(Name) chose rock while Kageyama had selected paper. "Ahaha! I won again!" he cheered cockily, collecting his winnings. "I'll be taking this 500,000 yen now; thank yooooou," Kageyama dragged out, "now, then, let's keep this going, shall we?"

The girl was quiet; her eyes cast downwards. Students behind her mumbled to one another, Kageyama leaning forward.

"Hm? What's wrong? Don't tell me you've lost your nerve!?" Kageyama cackled, running his lanky fingers through his hair. "Well, I mean, you did just lose 100,000 yen, so I don't exactly blame you!" He let out a cruel, taunting laugh while (Name) offered two chips to the pot.

"Next game, let's bet two chips."

Kageyama had 216 chips while (Name) had 24 chips; that was a huge gap, and there was no way (Name) could win back her chips, but if she gets scared when beaten and starts making small bets, there's no way she could turn things back around. The two went back and forth, Kageyama had the upper hand, and dominating the game, smiling once (Name)'s side of the table was bare.

"Well, no, (Surname)-san, it seems you've lost all of your chips," he stated.

(Name) didn't seem bothered by the fact she lost. She looked thrilled and asked, "Kageyama-san, would it be okay if I borrowed some additional chips from you?

"You're more than welcome to," was his response, concealing his smirk. _What an idiot she is; she's just digging her own damn grave at this point_. "How many chips do you want?"

(Name) took a moment to think to herself, glancing over to her briefcase. "Hm, let's see. I would like one thousand chips."

"E-Excuse me!?"

"Did I stutter?" (Name) mocked, "I would like one thousand chips, and I would like to put them all on the next set."

Even Hinata was shocked. Why would anyone bet 10,000,000 yen in a game like this, especially when they were losing miserably?!

Kageyama was out of breath, his eyes blown wide, and his heartbeat irregular. "A-A thousand chips? You want a thousand chips?"

(Name) nodded, a taunting smile resting on her lips. "Is there a problem with that, Kageyama-san? You didn't say there was a limit on betting or anything. I mean, we are gambling after all, and I'm having fun playing this game."

"Of course, there's a damn problem!" he yelled. "With a sum that large, there's no way that I have a guarantee that you'd be able to pay that back; you could be talking out your ass for all we know. So unless you agree to pay it in full right now, there's no way that I'd be able to trust—"

Name opened her case, revealing large stacks of yen. "There's 10,000,000 yen in case, right here. Now, it shouldn't be a problem to continue the gamble, yes?"

"Are you _stupid_!? There's no way in hell you can afford to bet 10,000,000 on a single round of rock, paper, scissors!" he exclaimed, "you're freaking crazy!"

"But, isn't that what makes it _fun_?" (Name) laughed, lifting her head. She couldn't contain her smile; it spread across her face like a contagious disease while her cheeks burned. "The essence of gambling is madness. Is it not? In a capitalist society, it's natural that the fruit of one's labor—their money is their life. So entrusting your life to such chances isn't something any sane human would do, now would it?"

She stood to her feet, leaning across the table. "And yet, people flock to the casinos in large numbers because they derive pleasure from putting their lives in their lives. They find immense satisfaction in ruining their lives or gaining wads of cash in return; they are fueled by sheer insanity itself! It's intoxicating, Kageyama-san," (Name) explained, breathing heavily as her soft fingers traced Kageyama's jawline, "If that's the case, gambling is more fun the crazier it gets!"

Kageyama yanked away from (Name), his body shaking as he stared into her crazed eyes.

" _Now then, shall we go gambling mad_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is available on my Wattpad: 1800SADOMASOCHIST, and that is usually updated first before it gets transferred over here. Support me there too


	3. A BORING GIRL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the gamble between (Name) and Kageyama heats up, the self-declared king realizes (Name) is a lot smarter than she lets on.

If one could describe (Name) in one word, it would be insane. She was currently gambling with ¥10,000,000 in a single match against Kageyama. No ordinary person who willingly bet that much money in a single game; it was absurd. There was a slim chance that she would win because Kageyama had gained her 120 chips from earlier, and yet, (Name) was willing to throw away her money just to play another match.

Kageyama laughed, his voice shaking as he stood to his feet. "I won't follow you into something so freaking stupid. There's no way I would be willing to do that; just make sure you pay me back," he said.

(Name) poked out her bottom lip, playfully pouting. "Aw, you don't want to play anymore? That's too bad, and here I thought we were having so much fun together, Kageyama-san," she cooed, propping her elbows on the table. Her enchanting eyes eyed Kageyama as her lips curled into a taunting smile. "Ooooh, don't tell me _you've lost your nerve_?" she teased.

Kageyama flinched at her words, a sudden rage washing over him. How dare this stupid commoner make a damned fool out of him; no one would make a fool out of the king. His hands curled into a fist as he quickly sat back in his seat, narrowing his eyes. "If you're gonna put it like that, then I'll accept your challenge," he grunted, signaling that the match would soon begin.

This declaration caused a commotion between the spectators, debating who would win the pot after this single game. The cards were deposited into the voting box, Kageyama fixating his gaze on (Name), watching as she examined herself in her pocket-sized mirror. There was a good possibility that she was checking her makeup.

The gambling girl giggled, looking up at Kageyama with a pleasing look. "Gamblings are so much fun when there are big risks involved. Anything would just be boring and a waste of my time, wouldn't you agree?" she asked.

"Uh, I guess," he grumbled. Kageyama was fed up with her optimistic attitude, her stupid smile, and how careless she was. Well, he would make sure to shut her up during this next play, especially since he had 21 people out of the 30 participants working under him. He had to conceal his growing smile as they drew cards from the box; Kageyama always played with the game with new students who thought they were hot shit, and to prove to the upperclassmen that he was indeed the king when it came to gambling.

Everyone who worked for Kageyama had their motives; paying back a debt, or perhaps increasing their social status. No matter the reason, the 21 "slaves" working alongside Kageyama were going to vote the way he ordered; this time, he made sure that there would be at least eleven rock cards, ten paper cards, and three scissors.

It would be a slim chance if either of them drew a scissors card and used it; the ideal card to play in this round would be paper, but if Kageyama didn't pull any paper cards, he would be fucked. He silently prayed, reaching into the box, and found that he had drawn two papers and a single rock card.

This game would be the end of (Name); this was his ideal hand. She was done for.

"It can't take you that long; we only have three cards to choose from," Kageyama states, crossing his legs. He imagined she was stalling for time, regretting her decision, and giving up 10,000,000 yen so easily; oh, he would enjoy making her into a housepet, just like Hinata. Since they were so close, it would only be fitting.

(Name) lifter her head, smiling. "Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, don't play innocent with me, Kageyama-san; everyone in this class is working for you, aren't they?" (Name) taunted, laying her cards on the table. She cradled her chin, tilting her head to the side. "How many people are working for you? At first, I would have assumed everyone in the class would be working with you, but the voting says otherwise. So, I'm guessing ten people? Maybe 20 to make doubly sure you would win?"

Kageyama clenched his teeth, narrowing his eyes. "How dare you accuse me of cheating!? What kind of proof do you even have!?" he barked.

"Please, you weren't the best at hiding it, Kageyama-san. In both rounds, when you won 500,000 yen, you played the same card. You carelessly chose a card to play whenever we bet 20,000—a rather small sum when playing this insane game; it only be natural that I would suspect you're cheating," she giggled, curling a strand of hair around her index finger. (Name) leaned across the table, stroking Kageyama's chin with the pad of her thumb. "Unless you're prepared to spill some blood, you won't ever fool anyone with shitty tactics like those," she happily declared.

Kageyama jerked his head away, scowling, "Are you done with all the shit-talking? If you're trying to get me to end this game in a stalemate, you are sadly mistaken—"

"Oh, heavens, _no_! I wouldn't dream of it!" (Name) quickly interrupted, her lips quirking into an insane smile. "I wouldn't do anything so tasteless, especially since the game is going to get _far_ more interesting from here."

The older second-year clicked his tongue, annoyed with (Name)'s monologue. "Are you done with your stupid little speech now, or are you just stalling for time because you're afraid of losing?" Kageyama snarled.

"Well, _you can't say I didn't warn you_."

Kageyama had had enough of her smart mouth; once he secured victory, he would make (Name)'s life a living hell. She would be forced to obey his every whim and command; she would be doomed to the life of a house pet. Poor Hinata thought he had it bad, but Kageyama would ruin (Name), he would make her give up on life once he hung that house pet badge around her neck.

"This round of rock, paper, scissors is for 10,000,000 yen and will decide the winner; it's time for our showdown," Kageyama declared, deciding to choose paper. He counted down before yelling, "Rock! Paper—"

" _Scissors_!" The gambling girl declared, cheerfully; despair washing over Kageyama's face, even Hinata was shocked at the outcome. (Name) was beaming brightly, unable to contain her peals of laughter.

The students around them clamored, mumbling to each other. (Name) has dethroned the king of the cherry blossom class on the first day of school; it was hard to believe. Kageyama didn't want to think that he just lost.

His breathing was uneven, eyes blown wide while his hand trembled. "There's... there's no way. It can't be. You—you couldn't have pulled scissors," he gasped.

"Oh, but it can be! You can see it plain as day with your eyes! Now then, let's hash out the winnings; taking out the money I lost," (Name) hummed, standing to her feet, and circled behind Kageyama; her arms draped over his shoulder, "that will be a total of ¥8,800,000. Do be so kind as to pay up."

Kageyama choked; this couldn't happen to him. All he wanted was to put the new girl in her place, to make her in debt to him, and come out ¥2,400,000 richer, but he wound up losing ¥8,800,000 instead? Just who the hell was this girl!?

"Oh, that reminds me. You're the one who said you wouldn't play me if I didn't have that kind of cash on hand because I could have been 'talking out my ass,' isn't that right? I think I would like to do the same?" she questioned, fingers tracing the outline of Kageyama's jaw, feeling him tremble underneath her touch while he thickly swallowed. (Name) rolled her head to the side, humming, "you can pay me back, right?"

"N-No—"

"Come again?" (Name) mocked, yanking Kageyama's tie.

The raven-haired male swallowed his pride, saying, "I don't have it right now... could I ask that you give me a few days?"

(Name) pouted, poking out her lips as she released Kageyama's tie, patting his head. "Oh, I guess I can make an exception this one time. Just for today, I'll consider it paid in exchange for the despair you suffered. Now, I hope you all have a nice day, and from tomorrow onward, you accept me as an equal."

Hinata chased after (Name), grabbing her wrists. "(Surname)-san, I need to know. Why did you play scissors? It was like you knew Kageyama-san was going to play paper."

"Oh! That's easy; I knew that Kageyama-san was controlling the votes. I just needed to figure out which card was included the most," (Name) explained, walking alongside Hinata, brushing her fingers against his.

"But how did you learn all that in a single game?"

(Name) smiled, slinging her case over her shoulder. "That was the tricky part, but I managed. Let's assume that Kageyama-san had twenty people working for him; if he didn't get everyone to vote for the same card, the trick wouldn't work. There was no regular pattern to what cards were voted for, but having to remember a particular order of cards would have been much more difficult," she stated, "following me so far, Hinata-san?"

"Uh, yes?"

She continued to explain. "I realized that they must have been deciding what to vote for on the spot; I just needed to figure out how they were deciding. She couldn't use any sort of signal with her hands or else I would have caught on. I thought it was a sound, but I heard nothing. That was when I concluded that someone was giving the signal in her place; the rest became clear after that," (Name) added, stopping in front of Hinata. "At first, I thought it was natural that everyone was staring at me because I was new, but that was my mistake. They were staring at me but to the person behind me, and that was you, Hinata-san."

The ginger nervously laughed, "So, you did figure it all out."

(Name) bobbed her head, twirling around. "Yes! The next thing I had to do is guess the sign based on your actions."

Hinata quirked an eyebrow upwards, "My actions? But I was behind you— do you have eyes in the back of your head!? Holy shit, that would be so weird!"

(Name) couldn't help but laugh, clutching her sides. "Oh, Hinata, you're too much, but no, I don't have eyes in the back of my head. Remember when I pulled out my mirror? I was pretending the check my makeup to throw you and Kageyama-san off."

"O-Oh, I see! Okay, here's another question!" Hinata exclaimed, "how the hell did you manage to pull scissors in your last hand? There could have only been about two or three of those in the box, so how did you pull it off?"

"Well, that was a complete coincidence! I just got _reaaaaaaally_ lucky that time!"

Hinata sputtered, unable to comprehend what (Name) said. "I— you— no way, there's no way, (Surname)-san, that you used ¥1,200,000 to see through Kageyama-san's trick, and despite that, you bet ¥10,000,000 and hoped you'd win based on what—chance!?" he exclaimed, flailing his arms.

(Name) nodded her head, "Yes, basically."

"So, in that game, you could have kept quiet and would have had a 50 percent chance of winning; that was no merit in tell Kageyama-san that you figured out his trick," the ginger pointed out.

"You're right; I didn't need to tell him, but I wanted to," she cooed.

Hinata scratched his head. "Even with the risk of him switching up his tactics, you still told him because you enjoy taking risks, don't you?"

(Name) rolled her head to the side, playing with her golden ring. "Well, simply taking a risk on its own is boring to me, but having too much an advantage sucks the fun out of the game, you know? Gambling, to me, is fun; it fills me with indescribable pleasure. It makes me boil over," she shivered, wrapping her arms around her torso, smiling.

Hinata laughed softly, averting his eyes downwards. "I wish I could be like you, (Surname)-san; I've never felt that way even once when I've gambled. All I've felt is pain," he mumbled. "I'm thinking about dropping out; I owe Kageyama-san money— ¥5,000,000 to be exact. I keep trying to earn money, but I keep earning more debt. I don't want to bring my parents into this; it's my burden, not theirs." He looked up at (Name), taking her hands, and tenderly squeezed them. "(Surname)-san, please forgive me for lying to you. You were nothing but kind to me today, and I betrayed your trust."

(Name) clicked her tongue, leaning forward and planted a soft kiss in his forehead. "Oh, don't fret, Hinata-san. You were forced, but it made the game more interesting," she giggled, bringing her hands to his cheeks, and pinched them. Pulling her hands away from his cheeks, (Name) took Hinata's hand and handed him a stack of money. "I wanted to give you this for making today's gamble so much fun!"

"I-I can't take this! I took part in the scheme; you could have been a house pet if you lost—"

(Name) shushed Hinata, pressing her finger against his lips. "I hate situations where it's guaranteed that I'll win and those where it's a guarantee that I'll lose. It's not gambling if the outcome is already predetermined. Thanks to your assistance, I was able to play an exciting game! Thank you very much!"

Hinata could see her smile clearly as she stood in the sun; there was no resentment or pity. (Name) just wanted to thank him from the bottom of her heart because she enjoyed the game today. That was all.

(Surname) (Name) is not normal; she's a gambling enthusiast—a _compulsive gambler._

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Upon arriving at school, Hinata felt a pair of arms wrap around his torso from behind, breasts pressed against his back while he heard a titter from behind him. "Good morning, Hinata-san," (Name) hummed, tightening her grip.

The poor boy was red in the face, his heart beating as he stuttered. "Go-Good morning, (Surname)-san!"

She whined, moving towards Hinata's side. "Now, that won't do. I consider you a friend, so there's no need for you to address me as (Surname)-san; just (Name) will suffice," she said with a smile.

Hinata couldn't resist, mostly when (Name) was pouting cutely: it was damn near impossible for him to tell a girl no. "Oh, I meant to thank you for the ¥5,000,000 you gave me yesterday; I was able to buy my 'humanity' back. I'm a little short on cash, but I promise I'll pay you back."

"Nonsense! It was a gift for making the game fun; there's no need to pay me back, Hinata—can I call you Hina instead? It just sounds so cute," the (height) girl asked. When the ginger nodded his head, she squealed with delight and pulled Hinata inside of the class.

Kageyama was staring at his desk, his breathing ragged as he stared at the dirty writing scrawled across his desk; a doll that resembled him smashed to bits with a house tag hung around the neck. The students around him laughed and jeered, one girl slipped the house pet tag over Kageyama's throat and gave it a harsh jerk, hearing him choke.

"Go on, and kneel for us, _your Majesty_!" one girl howled, the class erupting with laughter. "Ahaha, (Surname)-san! Get your dog! He's your new prize for winning the gamble yesterday!"

(Name) was confused when Kageyama was dragged towards her. She quirked her eyebrow up and released his chain, helping the taller male to his feet. "What was the about?"

"Shut up."

"Eh? What was that, Kageyama-san—"

He narrowed his eyes, narrowing everything off of his desk. "I said, ' _shut the hell up_!' The reason I'm like this is because I lost to you—a _nobody_!" Kageyama sneered before rushing out of the crash, mumbling about how he needed to get out of this mess.

"How odd," the gambling addict mumbled, taking her seat along with Hinata. The classes were short—a unique schedule, according to their homeroom teacher. The student council had told the faculty members; the students were released from class twenty minutes early.

Lunch approached quickly, and (Name) sat with Hinata, offering him portions of her meal, but he declined.

"Hina, what happened today before class? Why was Kageyama given a tag that looked like yours?" she questioned, taking a bite out of her tempura.

He scratched the back of his head, sighing. "What you saw back there was one of this school's tradition; you see, the most important thing at this school is gambling. Naturally, if you're good at gambling, you become popular. If you're bad at gambling, you're persecuted," he explained, resting his elbows on the table. Hinata paused, pinching his nose as he exhaled. "The stupid thing is that it was never this way two years; it got worse when the current president took charge."

"Oh? So, we still hold elections to choose our student council president? If we can do that, why haven't they been elected out," was (Name)'s question.

"Because everyone's afraid of him; he wasn't elected to his position; the president gambled for it. After he took over, the house pet system and the payments came into play; called them reforms." Hinata poked a hole into his juice pouch, taking a long gulp. When (Name) became quiet, the ginger wanted to kick himself; he would scare her away if he kept talking like this.

(Name)'s body quivered, her cheeks burning hot as her breathing was uneven; she bit down on her knuckles, rubbing her thighs. "The more you tell me about this wonderful academy, the more excited I become, Hina. I'm so glad that I chose to transfer here; this is not a normal academy." Springing to her feet, the energetic girl smiled, grasping Hinata's hands, and rapidly asked, "Are grades decided via gambling? What other penalties do Mittens and Fidos suffer? How do I collect my winnings? What is the limit to gambling; could I gamble my life away if I run out of money?"

It was apparent that (Name) was obsessed with gambling; Hinata watched the gambling addict, seeing the happy glint in her eyes. Gambling seemed to be her entire life.

"Well, I don't have all the answers to those questions, but I'll give you some words of advice." Hinata led the girl to the railing, pointing across the room to a young boy with greenish-grey hair, engaged in a fast-paced game. "Stay away from anyone on the council board; they have some mad skills. If I didn't suck, I totally would challenge one of them, and take their spots."

(Name) whined playfully, sticking her tongue. "But, they're having so much fun, and I wanna gamble some more!"

"You're crazy to gamble against him; I don't know his name, but his family is loaded. Your funds would run out faster than his," Hinata retorted, leading her away, and sat her back down, continuing with his lunch. "The student council is made up of the strongest gamblers; if you thought Kageyama-san was tough, they're stronger, especially the president."

(Name) snickered, taking a bite out of her onigiri. "Well, my mind is made up. I would like to play at least one of them before our third-year."

"(Surname)-saaaaaaaaan!" came through the sound of an energetic, male voice. (Name) and Hinata looked up, the ginger going pale in the face while (Name offered a polite wave to the friendly boy. He took a seat next to (Name), bashfully smiling, "I know this is super sudden, but could you gamble with me, please? I heard you're super, especially since you beat Kageyama-san, and he had almost everyone's help. You're the talk of the school."

"Oh, you're a doll! I would love to gamble with you, but you never gave me a name," she tittered.

"That's right! I never did give you my name!" The young man tapped on his forehead, sticking his tongue. "I'm so forgetful. My name is Yamaguchi Tadashi; it's nice to meet you."

(Name) stood time her feet, clapping her hands. "Well, Yamaguchi-san, I accept your offer. What game will we be playing?"

Yamaguchi pulled out a deck of cards from his bag. "We're going to be playing Double Memory; the rules are similar to Memory except you must match the numbers and the suits."

The gambling girl hummed, "So, it makes the game more difficult. You need to match the suits and numbers. This is so interesting! I'm so glad I said yes!" She spun in a circle before taking Hinata's hands, a glint of pure excitement in her eyes. "I want you to cheer me on, okay, Hina?"

"Y-Yeah!"

The other students around them caught wind of what was happening, soon circling Hinata, Yamaguchi, and (Name). They cleared off the table, and Yamaguchi took the opposite side of the table, taking another pack of cards.

"When you played Kageyama-san, you gambled ¥1,000,000 right?" he asked, breaking the seal off the cards. When (Name) nodded his head, Yamaguchi smiled. "Let's double the stakes! We'll raise it to ¥20,000,000 instead. Does that sound okay?"

She pouted, twiddling her thumbs. "I apologize, but I don't have that kind of money on hand anymore."

"What happened to the money you had yesterday!?" Hinata exclaimed.

"I maybe may have spent it, but I will neither confirm nor deny it."

Yamaguchi laughed, wiping the tears that formed in the corner of his eyes. "You're so funny, (Surname)-san. Tell you what: I'll let you borrow the ¥20,000,000 interest-free," he offered, spreading the cards across the tables. "This is the best offer you can get; you could go from 0 to ¥20,000,000 quick!" The cards were spread across the table; the two participants growing excited as Yamaguchi offered (Name) the first move since she was older than him.

"Let the game of Double Memory begin now!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For earlier updates, please check out my Wattpad account: 1800SADOMASOCHIST; I’m more active there.


	4. THE SLIT-EYED GIRL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The match between Yamaguchi and (Name) shall begin and Kageyama will sink further into despair, thanks to his new-found status as a house pet.

"Since I challenged you, I'll let you have the first move," Yamaguchi offered, his contagious smile infecting (Name) as she offered her thanks, watching her examine the cards over before reaching out.

"Well, there's no point in stressing over the first move, right? Let's have some fun before this gets good," (Name) stated, flipping over the four of hearts and the four of diamonds. She poked her bottom lip out, pouting as she folded her arms, "Oh damn. According to Memory rules, this would be a match, but we aren't playing regular Memory, and under these new rules, this would not be a pair as the suits are not the same. Isn't that right, Yamaguchi-san?"

The grayish-green-haired body bobbed his head up and down, his smile never dropping. "Yup, you're getting the hang of this, (Surname)-san! Now, I wanna it's my turn, and I wanna see a four of hearts or a four of diamonds!" he declared, rocking on his heels as he eagerly scanned over the cards.

This variation of Memory was too tricky for the average human to comprehend in the first round. Since there is only one that you can make a match with, the chances of getting a pair by sheer luck are reduced to 1/103 chance. The win conditions were to either get lucky and draw the pair with a 1/103 chance or memorize all one-hundred-and-three card positions; both were extremely difficult, but those were the two options both Yamaguchi and (Name) had during this game. It was damn near impossible to commemorate the location of one hundred and three different card locations.

Hinata's eyes were darting back and forth, watching the two go back, exchanging moves. It was (Name)'s turn, and she flipped over the four of diamonds. Eagerly, she ran her fingers across the back of several cards, shouting, "I know I've seen this card somewhere—aha! Here you are! The four of diamonds!" She chirped, setting the matched cards to the side, leaning against the edge of the table.

Yamaguchi congratulated (Name), applauding her skills. "You earned the first point, (Name)-san. Because you found a match, you can pick again," he informed, urging for her to pick another card—to test her luck.

She chose a card at random with a hum, the seven of diamonds, and selected another card, frowning when she missed. "Damn, the king of clubs. Guess I miss."

"I know I've seen the king of clubs before," Yamaguchi exclaimed, flipping over the card (Name) selected earlier, scanning the cards over before tossing a card adjacent to the one who flipped over prior. "Aha! It's right here! Let's continue!"

The two second-years went back and forth, collecting pairs, and showing their skill in Double Memory. Hinata would barely keep up as his eyes darted back and forth, watching Yagamuchi and (Name) call out the pairs they collected. The five of clubs, the two of clubs, the three of hearts, the jack of hearts, the eight of diamonds—back and forth they went, scarcely making any blunders. Yamaguchi had twenty-two cards while (Name) had eighteen cards; it was like they knew where the last card was located. They were on a whole separate level than the rest of the student body.

If they were matched both evenly matched in terms of Memory, it would just mean that this game all comes down to fate to see who's lucky enough to flip over matches they have already seen. Hinata analyzed the table again, counting the remaining cards. The majority of the cards were gone, and only twenty-eight cards remained. (Name) had thirty-six cards while Yagamuchi had forty cards; it was still anyone's game at this point, but with fewer cards, this meant that it would be easier to find more matches, and right now, it was Yamaguchi's turn.

"This has been fun, (Surname)-san! This is the first game that was fun to play in a while; you're a challenge," Yamaguchi complimented, securing yet another pair, adding the cards to his pile.

"Oh, you're too kind, Yamaguchi-san. This has been an interesting game to play," she returned happily. The grayish-green haired boy laughed heartily before trying his hand at luck, flipping over cards, and successfully finding pairs with each card he flipped over.

It was nerve-wracking to watch, especially when he never faltered, the gap between the two growing with each passing moment. It was insane, Yamaguchi's streak. He had managed to gather ten pairs in a row, his smile never faltering. "Well, it seems I've been blessed by Lady Luck herself today! This is great!" he cheered, flipping over another card, and missed the chance to gain another pair. It didn't faze the second-year as he stepped away from the table as the difference between them was fourteen cards. Gesturing to (Name), Yamaguchi smiled, "While that is a miss for me, it's your turn, (Name)-san, but do remember that if you miss this next pair, I will win the game, and you will owe me ¥20,000,000. So, do your best." He seemed harmless, but that damned smile revealed another story.

Yamaguchi was not one to be trifled with.

The match came to its conclusion when (Name) failed to acquire another duo; Yamaguchi optimistically proclaimed himself the champion when he gathered most of the fifty-four pairs. "Yes! I won! This was an excellent game to play with you, (Name). Hopefully, you'll be able to pay me back, or you end up a housepet, and that would be a shame because you knocked Kagayema-san off his feet your first day here," he teased, a taunting smirk resting on his lips.

It was evident that (Name) had a good memory, and her skill was astonishing—astronomical even, but her error was that she didn't account for the fact that her opponent would have an equally good memory. It was terrifying to even think about it. Now, she had amassed a debt of ¥20,000,000, and she already said she didn't have that kind of money on hand. Hinata worried about (Name)'s fate; there's no way she could end up as a housepet on her second day, not after she knocked Kageyama off his pedestal.

With watery red eyes, (Name) pleaded with the second-year. "Yamaguchi-san, can we, please, play another match? I can't afford to pay you back the ¥20,000,000, and I have the same ability to remember the location of cards like you do. I don't understand how I could have possibly lost." She clasped her hands together, offering a polite bow as salty tears kissed her burning cheeks. "Please, let me play one more game with you!"

Yamaguchi blinked before he laughed, reaching into his bag. He pulled out a slim container of sorts, running his fingers against the glass exterior. He held the box in front of (Name), leaning forward as he tapped against the glass. "Funny thing about me: I have a weird hobby of collecting nails; I got a pretty big collection of them. These are only a part of my collection. What do you think? Pretty cool, right? But, there's a little secret behind my collection." Laying the box on the table, he leaned forward, tapping (Name)'s chin, and with a chilling simper, he said, "They're all actual human fingernails."

"SAY WHAT!?" Hinata emitted, his stomach churning as he stepped away, appalled at what Yamaguchi just confirmed. So, the rumors were true that a second-year boy forced people to bet their nails once, putting them in debt.

With pouting eyes, the green-haired second-year ran his thumb across the wooden edges of the box. "With the amount of money my dad's company makes, it would be super easy just to buy the nails, but no one would sell me actual human nails, no matter how nice I asked," Yamaguchi explained, slipping his collection back into his bag. "The ones that you saw now were taken as gambling debts. Do you want another match? I'll happily accept, so I'll put another ¥20,000,000 on the line, but (Surname)-san, I want your nails if you win."

Any sane person would have rejected these terms and take the debt instead but, (Name) was not a rational girl; she was addicted to the taste of gambling, and she savored every morsel of it. "I accept your terms, Yamaguchi-san."

"Wait, there's no need for you to accept his crazy offer!" Hinata popped in, shaking her body back and forth, shouting frantically as he tried talking some sense into her. "Are you listening to his crazy talk!? He's talking about taking your fingernails!"

"It's not like I have any other choice; I have to pay Yamaguchi-san back somehow unless you have another idea to come up with that kind of money," (Name) whined, immediately shutting up the ginger-haired boy.

Yamaguchi couldn't contain his enthusiasm, removing two brand-new decks of cards from his backpack. "Now, you're talking! Let's get this game started." After shuffling and cutting the deck, he swiftly scattered the cards across the table and offered (Name) the first move. "Remember, if you win, your debt will be cleared, and I'll give you ¥20,000,000, but if you lose, you'll not only owe me ¥40,000,00, you'll have to provide me with the nails on your toes and fingers. So, do your best (Surname)-san, and try not to mess up. Your hands and feet are depending on your victory."

It was frightening how the grayish-green-haired second-year could easily say that with a winning grin, playing a game with ¥20,000,000 on the line, and (Name)'s nails. It is insane, from the academy to the students themselves. Physical injury in a gambling match was relatively rare, but that crowd was eating it up. (Name) would have to be remarkably wary on the first move, mostly because her nails were at stake.

Watching the (color)-haired girl take her time with flickering golden-brown eyes, Yamaguchi could barely restrain his overall joy. It was challenging not to laugh; he felt sorry for the poor thing as he already knew the outcome of this match. (Name) was wasting time because out of all the facedown cards on the table, Yamaguchi knew where fifty-two of the pairs are. While at first glance, they appeared to be expected, state-of-the-art cards from his father's company, one deck was from a particular line that Yamaguchi created for himself.

If the cards went above a specific temperature, a particular mark appears on the back. Yamaguchi requested a circuit in his bag for this trick to work, and it paid off in the long run. It takes about two to three minutes before the cards cool back down; until then, the mark remains. It's a minimal change, and it goes away quickly, so he wouldn't get caught. All Yamaguchi had to do was memorize the cards, and there was no way that he couldn't dominate in any game.

The reason he chose to play Double Memory is to not only increase the difficulty for his opponents but to avoid them snagging a lucky win. No matter the game Yamaguchi played, if he knew what all the cards were or whatever his opponent held in their hand, he was destined to win. While it took his ages to memorize the marks, it paid off in spades, and now, he would be rewarded when he claimed (Name)'s nails for his collection.

While the enthusiastic second-year was too occupied thinking about (Name)'s pretty nails, she had already obtained a pair—the four of hearts. "Oh, I meant to ask you this beforehand, Yamaguchi-san, but you said your family owns a company; if I'm not mistaken, the Yamaguchi family are famous toymakers, right?" she probed, reaching for another card.

"Yes, they are. What does that have to do with anything?"

(Name) tapped the gambling chips. "With that big of a business, just how much are you and your family worth? ¥10,000,000,000 or is it more like ¥100,000,000,000? Yet, here you are, only betting ¥20,000,000; that seems pretty worthless if you ask me. That must be chump change to you," she teased with a flirty smile, adding another pair to her pile. With playful eyes and lowering her voice, the (color)-eyed student warned Yamaguchi in a taunting voice. "Allow me to offer you a piece of friendly advice, Yamaguchi-san: before doing something like risking your family's business, you'd best make sure you are duly prepared to suffer the consequences."

At first, Yamaguchi thought nothing of (Name)'s little remark until she began collecting pairs left and right, fear began sinking in, and a sheen of sweat glazed his forehead. There was no way that she could have possibly picked up on his trick; if word got out that his father's company were making cards for cheating, it would cause severe damage to the business, but there was an off chance that (Name) was bluffing, and she was just getting lucky. The most he could do is collect the cards on his turn and then replace the unique brand with a standard deck of cards once it was his turn. His anxiety grew the more cards (Name) collected, praying that she would slip up, but she never did, and she successfully managed to gather fifty-four cards on her first turn.

"Looks like I win, Yamaguchi-san!" (Name) declared.

"H-How the hell did you know where all the cards were!?" he yelled, slamming his hands against the table while his body trembled.

She giggled, rubbing her thumb across the glossy exterior of the card. "The markings on the back of the card are the same as the last game, yeah? If you had prepared another deck with a different pattern, I definitely would have lost to you," (Name) revealed.

How could that be humanly possible? If the (color)-haired student had noticed the patterns from the start of the first game, that meant she pretended that she didn't see them, and her being disheartened was all an act. But, the patterns only appeared for about two to three minutes tops; (Name) would have had to memorize all the designs first and then connect them to the flipped cards' contents as they were flipped over.

Was that even humanly possible!?

Laughing, (Name) clapped and stood on her tippy-toes. "Well, that game sure was fun! Let's play another one! How about BlackJack? Old Maid? Two-card Indian poker? Black Baccarat? I'm done to play any game we can think of!" she informed Yamaguchi, attempting to balance the card on her finger.

He forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat, his voice soft as he mumbled, "N-No thanks, I'm done-"

" _Ohoho_! Do you think you are in a position to refuse? Silly Yamaguchi, _you're_ the one who lost despite having the advantage; you're no better than Kageyama-san at this point," she snickered, cradling her chin. She came up with a brilliant idea in the heat of the moment, reaching across the table and grabbed Yamaguchi's hands. "How about we both put our nails on the line with the terms? It was your idea, after all, so you wouldn't mind? I heard the pain is worse after the nails are removed. The slightest burden on your fingers will cause blood to ooze out like frosting, thick and clumpy. If we do it with our toes and fingers, it will make our lives hellish and unbearable."

"(Surname)-san," Hinata called out to her, but his words fell on deaf ears as she got in Yamaguchi's face, smiling sadistically.

"Let's do it! It's a once in a chance opportunity; you boldly cheated in our gamble and still managed to lose; how pitiful of you! What will happen if you don't get rid of all that shame!? All you have to do is nod your head in agreement! _COME ON! LET'S DO IT!_ " (Name) screamed, her cheeks burning hot as her chest fell and rose, feeling Yamaguchi pull away.

He broke down, sobbing profusely as tears and snot rained down his freckled face, begging for (Name)'s forgiveness. "I-I can't; I can't do it. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he repeated. Hinata had to lead (Name) away from the sobbing boy and the large crowd, rubbing her shoulder.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"That's how the match between Yamaguchi-san and (Surname)-san went."

A masculine voice chimed in, giddy at the mention of (Name). "Yooo, she sounds pretty awesome if she could beat Yamaguchi-san, especially when he uses those special cards of his."

"Well, to be fair, the only reason Yamaguchi was allowed to enter the student council was because of his generous donations and a certain someone's recommendation," the first voice chimed in.

"He was getting cocky over beating a few small fries and thought he was hot shit," another male voice chimed in, nudging his elbow into his partner's side. "Aren't you the one who kept pushing for Yamaguchi to join us, Tsukishima?"

Tsukishima clicked his tongue, pushing up his glasses. "Oh, shut up."

"What are we going to do about (Surname) (Name), Oikawa-san?"

With a smile, the council president said, "Why don't we try meddling with her?"

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

As the following week passed, (Name) became popular in the second year cherry blossom class while Kageyama was made into a house pet and dropped into low-class. She received many offers to hang out with her female students who wanted to take her out for treats and tea, but she declined, explaining that she had already made plans to spend time with Hinata after school. Granted, the students were jealous that Hinata was getting (Name)'s attention; she didn't care; she preferred the ginger's company rather than her other classmates.

Hinata showed her around the academy again, leading her to a particular room. "This is the tea ceremony room, but after school, the traditional culture club turns it into a gambling den; if you ever want to learn how to play Hanafuda or any dice game, this would be the place to be," he explained, being dragged inside by (Name). Of course, she would want to visit a gambling den; when it comes to gambling, she was obsessed.

A friendly-looking girl greeted the two students, a tag hanging around her slim neck. "Welcome to the traditional culture club! You two are in luck; there's a public match ongoing. Would you like to head over and watch?" she offered.

(Name) quirked an eyebrow upwards, completely confused. "Public match?"

"Oh, those were never explained to you; my mistake. A public match is the one, and the only thing housepets have a right to. You see, housepets can challenge any person to a gamble only once. As long as the bets are within a reasonable amount, no one is allowed to decline these challenges," Hinata explained. "But, sometimes student council members take part in these without an upper limit, so, housepets have a shot at making a massive turn-around for themselves through a single high-stake game."

The first girl hummed, nodding her head. "You're correct, and right now, the person undertaking one such challenge is our very own president, who also happens to be a member of the student council," she stated, opening the door to the room the match was taking place. "The current wager is ¥10,00,000."

Both Hinata and (Name) were shocked to find Kageyama sitting on a mat, sweating profusely as the traditional culture president sat upright, smoothing out the wrinkles in her porcelain blue kimono. "Whatever is the matter, Kageyama-kun? You still have a chance to turn things around, and it's far too early for you to consider giving up," the president teased. She had one hundred sixty-eight chips to Kageyama's thirty-two chips; at this rate, he was going to lose. He would be ruined.

"Come now, no need to make such an ugly face—not that you were cute to being with. This is the first time we've gambled in a long time, so why not enjoy it while it last?" the president hummed.

Kageyama clicked his tongue, offering his remaining chips to the pot. "I'm going all-in, Kimura-senpai," he grumbled. The second-year was almost sure that the girl clad in her expensive kimono was cheating, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly how she was or her methods; there's no way that the game should be this big in a game like this, but he would have to continue if he wanted his humanity back.

"My, my, how interesting, Kageyama-kun, you're betting the last of your chips? It seems the end is near then," Kimura hummed, agreeing to this wager. The two placed their chips across the board as the moderator tossed the ten swords into the metal cup. The moderator counted down from ten; Kageyama on edge while Kimura remained calm, a gentle expression across her face.

"Time is up; no more bets!" the moderator called, lifting the cup. Several mini swords did not fall in the slots, but a few did, which could be either a good thing or a bad thing in this bizarre game. "There is a sword in slot number 22—the number you chose, Kageyama-san; however, you have chosen death!" the mod clarified, gesturing to the mini sword and pointing out how the hilt was sticking upwards.

In the game called Life or Death, endless swords are raining from the sky, and in this game, they are trying to catch them but can also be hit by them. If a blade you grab has its edge facing your opponent, it is a scene worthy of the utmost praise. However, if the blade happens to be facing you, sincerest apologies.

"The match is over! Since the blade is in slot 22, the result is death! Kageyama, you bet six chips on it, so you will suffer a 30x penalty; you are one hundred and eighty chips in debt," the mod confirmed, "if you include Kimura-sama's winnings, that is a total of ¥49, 600,000!"

This game sealed the second-year's fate. King to a peasant, riches to rag, he was doomed to be a housepet for the rest of his life. Even if he worked every day, Kageyama wouldn't be able to pay that off.

Kimura smiled, "Well played, Kageyama-kun, that was quite an exciting game. I will be in contact with you later to arrange payment. Someone, please, show him out; I no longer have business with a mangy mutt."

The girl who escorted Hinata and (Name) approached the devastated boy, resting her hand on his shoulder. "Kageyama-san, allow me to show you out."

He let out an enraged scream, jerking away from the girl who attempted to calm him down. He wasn't supposed to end up like this; he was the King, for crying out loud. Ruling over his idiot classmates, attending this prestigious school, living a life of luxury, having good connections, and earning the title The King was supposed to better his life. Kageyama could have paid off his debt to the student council quickly once he had secured enough money, but he wanted his old status back. He was a fool for attempting this match and dreaming he could have his old life back—no, he was a damn idiot getting involved with (Name).

When he left, Kimura let out a sigh of relief, brushing a fly strand of hair out of her face. "Now that eyesore has gone, it is a pleasure to meet you, (Surname)-chan, and welcome to the traditional culture club. I've heard so many rumors about you," she hummed, gesturing for her underclassmen to take a seat. "Is there something you need? Or rather, is there something you would like? I heard you're a great gambler."

"Hinata was showing me around, and I was curious about what games you play!" (Name) admitted, latching onto the boy's arm, smiling as his face burned red.

Kimura hummed, "Well, a game we enjoying playing around here is called Life or Death. I just finished playing with Kageyama-kun, as you just saw. Would you like to try your hand at fate? I'm positive that you'll pick up on the rules fairly quick."

"Sounds like fun, Kiruma-senpai! I'd love to play!" (Name) cheered.

With a smile, the upperclassman asked her assistant to prepare the game field. "If you could, please prepare the game once more, Ito-chan."

"Understood, Kiruma-senpai."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lord, I’ve neglected this books for months on both here and Wattpad. If you want to get in contact with me more easily, join my discord: https://discord.gg/S5gXDhw  
> It’s pretty lively there and we have lots of fun.


End file.
